The Federal Executive Council has approved a new policy that prohibits Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) from procuring foreign goods or services already available in Nigeria without express approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
The policy, titled Renewed Hope Nigeria First Policy, was announced following the fifth FEC meeting of 2025, presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the initiative as a bold shift in economic direction, one that “seeks to foster a new business culture that is bold, confident, and very Nigerian.”
“This policy seeks to foster a new business culture that is bold, confident, and very Nigerian. It aims at making government investment directly benefit our people and industries by changing how we spend, how we procure, and how we build our economy,” he stated.
To ensure enforcement, the Attorney General of the Federation has been directed to prepare an Executive Order, which will give full legal effect to the framework. Idris emphasized that the Nigeria First policy would be a key pillar of the administration’s economic strategy, especially as the government intensifies its industrialization and import-substitution agenda.
Among the immediate directives approved by FEC:
** The BPP will update procurement rules to prioritize Nigerian-made goods.
** A comprehensive compliance mechanism will be introduced across MDAs.
** A national database of certified local suppliers will be maintained and referenced in all public procurement.
Procurement officers will be redeployed from MDAs back to the BPP to reduce corruption and improve oversight.
All MDAs must revise procurement plans in line with the new directives, or face disciplinary actions.
“No MDA will be allowed to procure foreign goods or services already available locally without a written waiver from the BPP,” the minister said. “Where foreign contracts are unavoidable, they must include provisions for technology transfer, local production, or capacity development in Nigeria.”
He cited the sugar industry as a key example where Nigeria’s local capacity has long been overlooked: “We continue to import sugar despite the existence of the Nigerian Sugar Council and several local producers. This policy will change that.”
Moving forward, Idris said, “Contractors will no longer be mere intermediaries sourcing foreign goods while Nigerian factories lie idle. Government money must now work for the Nigerian people.”
While implementation hurdles are anticipated, the administration has pledged strict enforcement, warning that entrenched procurement interests will no longer be allowed to undermine national priorities.
“This is a major shift in government policy. It puts Nigeria – not foreign companies, not imports – at the heart of our national development,” Idris declared.
Meanwhile, the Council also approved Nigeria’s membership in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as a non-regional member.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, confirmed that the country had completed all legal and administrative processes, including payment for 50 shares valued at $5 million.
“We’ve concluded that process now, and we are a full-fledged member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank,” Edun said. “Of course, it is set up to promote infrastructure development and genuine sustained economic growth in all its members.”
He added that President Tinubu reiterated his commitment to ongoing macroeconomic reforms, which, according to Edun, are beginning to show “very, very encouraging signs of the economy turning the corner.”
